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XC60 T8 annoyances?

2K views 13 replies 9 participants last post by  FusionRedXC60 
#1 ·
We've recently decided that our beloved 2001 V70 has neared the end of it's use for us. Things are starting to go after many years of worry free service and some of the newer safety/convenience features look good to us as we get older and our reaction time slips. We considered going all electric but we don't feel the infrastructure is there at the moment, so a plug-in hybrid will do (and work fine for our driving habits.) We're not wannabe race car drivers so I'm not overly concerned about 'spirited' handling, but we do want something with enough power to merge/pass/climb (unlike some of the Subarus, for example.) We eventually decided that, since this may be the last car we ever buy, we'd like to go for some luxury and the XC60 Inscription package looks awfully tempting.

That being said, there seem to be a number of negative comments about the T8 drivetrain floating around the internet so I thought I'd look for advice from the self-selected group of Vovlophiles. What bugs you about the XC60 in general and the T8 in particular? Is the ride too stiff without the air suspension? Does the air suspension really help? Do you hate Sensus, and if so, why? Is it noisy, and if so, compared to what? Some people have said that the seats aren't comfortable for them but most love them, is there any consensus on what makes the difference here other than simple personal preference?

We're at a point where we could go with the German marques but so far we're most intrigued by the Volvo and we do have some loyalty after almost 19 years. Still, are we missing the ticket with some other car (except the Lexus - those grilles are so ugly I couldn't imagine on of them parked in front of my home.) And if we go for OSD it looks like Volvo's is the cream of the crop.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts/opinions/suggestions.

Ken
 
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#2 ·
One more question, has anyone had repeated problems with the automatic emergency braking activating when it wasn't needed? I've seen reviews mention that but it seems like the sort of thing that would get much more ink if it was a common issue.

Ken
'01 V70 2.4T
 
#7 ·
Not really a concern here. It very rarely goes off for no good reason.

Prefer the R seats.

Voice control for me is pretty useless. One of the worst I have ever used. Not really a big deal though since controls are very easy to get used to.
 
#3 · (Edited)
I am on 20" wheel and air suspension. No complain. Powerful enough at comfort mode. No big bugs. Sensus is great to me as I don't need to change stuff right away when start driving. That's the moment Sensus is slow.

I really can't find anything else better than T8. A small issue I am tracking is the random failure of warming-up by timer in morning. But I have patience on it. Not big deal.

Sent from my Z978 using Tapatalk
 
#4 ·
Catfiend - the issue about seats is that everyone had a different body. No seat is great for everyone. I don't love mine but I hated the seats in most other vehicles. I'm a tough sell.

Sensus is mostly pretty nice but the lack of hard bottoms is slightly annoying.
 
#5 ·
Have had my 2019 XC60 T8 Inscription since March of this year. I only have 5502 miles on it as if its warm out (1C and above) and no precipitation I ride my bike. No issues thus far, it is fun to drive and the electric range, yes short (approx 25 miles in perfect conditions) is fine for me as work is 20 miles away...charge for free...then back home. I am coming from a 2016 Outback....They look to be of similar size, but the OB has more cargo room and I think more room up front as well. I love the seats....they are super comfy and love the massaging option of them...The ventilation aspect of the seats works ok, makes a small difference on the hot days. Start up of Sensus is faster on the 2019s...I know its plenty fast for me..I get in, turn on the car, put my seatbelt on and it is rdy to go. Some would say when using Android Auto and you have Waze displayed, it only fills half the screen....I dont mind it..Im driving, not watching the screen, the voice prompts are fine. Storage are in the center console is small, but I find it adequate. I found 99% of stuff I had in the center console of om OB was not being used. I'm sitting here trying to think of things that really bother me and I can't really find 1. No ice box in the glove compartment like the T6 has. Is it a perfect car, of course not, but I really quite enjoy it, and no real issues, at least for me thus far. I will say having 240 in the home garage is worth it. I had normal 120 service up until a month ago and charging in half the time is very nice. Just a normal wall receptacle for me, no fancy wall charging machine. Good luck with your shopping, OSD would be a cool experience, not sure I could wait that long,lol
 
#6 ·
All I can say is that I absolutely love it, after over 24K miles.
Best car I have ever owned, and everything works perfectly.
Two very small problems occurred, both of which were fixed with a simple software update at the dealer, and neither affected drivability at all.
And one very big thing for me, the most comfortable seats I have ever been in.
 
#8 ·
I posted part of this in another thread but realized it's probably more appropriate here. I finally got to test drive some cars yesterday - two XC60s (T8 R with air suspension and silly, oversized wheels, and a T6 Inscription without air suspension and 19" wheels) and a 2020 Mercedes GLC 330 (not the PHEV as they didn't have one in stock.) My thoughts:
1) The T8 gets up to freeway speed ridiculously fast. No fuss, it's just there. Neither of the others was much better than our 19 year old V70. I'm guessing passing with the T8 would remind me at least a little of doing it on a motorcycle - think about it and it's done.
2) Air suspension is a win for us. The R trim with it was more comfortable over lousy surfaces than either of the other cars.
3) The reviewers who say the engine on the Volvo is whiny and a just a bit loud are correct. The Mercedes' engine sound was much better muffled.
4) The interior of the Mercedes is overly busy - do you really need a trackpad and a touch screen?
5) Volvo's voice recognition wasn't great.
6) Mercedes' voice recognition was excellent, and very, very annoying. It answers to the name 'Mercedes'. Guess what the salesman and I were discussing during the test drive? Like hitting Siri every 90 seconds.
7) The Inscription interior felt nicer to me. Not more luxurious than the Mercedes but more tasteful. More comfortable than the over-bolstered R seats (but then again, I'm not after a performance car.)
8) The sun roof is an option on the Mercedes and I wish it were on the Volvo. We've only used it maybe 5 times in 19 years on the V90.
9) The grille on the Mercedes is overdone. The Inscription's is just right.
10) The salesman hadn't charged the battery on the T8 (huh? I specifically scheduled to drive a PHEV and they hadn't plugged it in??) but in charge mode it got to the point where I could test it in Pure driving mode. Plenty of oomph and blissful peace and quiet.
11) I like the layout on the Volvo's steering wheel a lot better than the Mercedes'.
12) The seat adjustments on the Mercedes are on the door. Say what!?? Maybe I'm just a dinosaur but reach to the side of the seat to adjust it just feels right.
13) A couple of days ago I did something that screwed up my shoulder, the symptoms mimicked my wife's chronic tendonitis. I only bring this up because some reviewers talk about the Volvo's steering being too light/disconnected. Not for me. For me it felt like I could easily maneuver 2+ tons of car without my shoulder twinging like it did in the V70 on the way over. It got heavier in Sport driving mode but I could still deal with it. The Mercedes started out that heavy and got heavier in Sport mode - enough that I wouldn't want to drive it with a damaged shoulder.

So, am I suffering from confirmation bias? Eh, maybe, but I really did try to give the Mercedes a fair shake and it's a very nice car. For me, though, I think the T8 Inscription will be the ticket. Not that I'm going to stop researching until we finally buy something, and that something is likely to be the Volvo.
 
#9 ·
I have the XC90 T8 which as I understand has the same drive train as the XC60 T8. I could not be happier. No problems, and I thoroughly enjoy driving it. The best seats I have ever had in a vehicle by far. Not sure you can get the Bowers & Wilkins Stereo upgrade but if you can, it is a winner. Especially if you are going to keep the car, investing in a good sound system brings pleasure every time you drive. The air suspension is also worthy. The massaging seats are decent. If I had to cut back and save money I might not have gotten them. While the larger wheels 21s look great, perhaps the 19s or 20s give a better ride? The T8s have better sound insulation than the T6s or T5s. The T8 is Volvo's flagship vehicle. Good luck in your decision. Let us know what you end up doing.
 
#11 ·
I love my T8. Best car I’ve ever had. The voice commands are hit and miss. For climate controls it works well for me. Setting a destination by voice doesn’t work for me but the phrase “take me home” does. HUD is a must have too.
 
#14 ·
I am trying to update the voice control file from USB drive but found it always asks me to confirm when starting the car. And it always start from 0%. Because I only drive short trips I can not finish it at all.

I can update regional map this way just fine as it doesn't ask for confirmation, just resumes automatically and continues installing.

I tried leave car unlocked at home but it still doesn't go beyond 0%. So I really need an hour long trip to complete it?

Sent from my Z978 using Tapatalk
 
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